So last year I made a Belgian Blonde and it was, in friends and family opinions, absolutely delicious. I made it again this year using the exact ingredients, water and processes. It did not taste anywhere near what I made last year. None of that typical belgian nuance that we know from their yeasts. None!!
So, I put my drinking cap on and added a nice thick slice of Cara Cara orange to a glass and the beer is actually tasty. Not what I originally intended but a drinkable bev.
I had the exact same experience with a Belgian Wit. First one was terrific, the next two not nearly as good. Versions 2 & 3 were tart and adding a slice of orange helped a lot.
Do you think the citric acid of the orange is what helped the beer, the flavor of the orange, or a bit of both?
I’ve had this happen where the beer was just lacking something. I ended up adding hop pellets in a muslin bag and dropping it into the keg. Clearly better for certain styles over other styles but sometimes when a beer doesn’t hit the mark, you have to get resourceful. I also had a wheat beer that was just boring. Eventually I would tap a glass and then squeeze and drop a lemon wedge into it… instantly better.
Great post. Seems a little fruit is the great equalizer.
I needed lemon or lime wedges in the last American Wheat I made to hide the dill from the Sorachi Ace. How is that even a hop?
You know, as in anything, its all about balance and I do think the orange helped with bringing it back into balance!
Probably why Blue Moon is served with a slice of orange
I believe the coriander and citric acid from orange peel were preservation techniques the Belgian brewers used in the past. The taste has grown into an integral part of the style.